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Only anime I've watched in the past two years have been through Crunchyroll and Netflix. And that's not saying much; I've only seen 2-3 series in that time span (there's a reason I feel more at home in general chat than the other sections... )

Well, I did stream DBKai 'illegally,' but I DO own every VHS of Dragonball Z from the 90's so it doesn't count as much.

So you only pirated 1/3 to 1/2 of the anime you watched?

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for something else:

So after pooring in money for Greece (which is still on the verge of bankruptcy) and both foreign and local banks, German government is calculating whether the retirement age should be increased to 69, after Tax cuts and large and long planned infrastructure investments have already been put on hold. Plus an Autobahn toll for cars has become a topic yet again. Not to mention ECB still taking in Greece papers from banks under its French president Trichet, against all rules made during the Euro founding, because northern representatives simply get overruled.

To anyone interested in this news: The zietgeist movement is doing a media festival worldwide today, the main event is going on at this moment in the Hollywood and it is being streamed live over the internet. Many artists and comedians are due to show up. Here is the info:

LOS ANGELES, CA – August 25, 2011 – The inaugural Zeitgeist Media
Festival (ZMF), uniting the world through socially conscious art and music,
happens in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at The Music Box in
Hollywood… and around the world on the same weekend!
The not-for-profit festival features music, visual and interactive art,
poetry, comedy, and theatrics including a concert featuring
forward-thinking artistic powerhouses such as world musician Natacha Atlas,
El Willy & the Wolves with special guest guitar legend Billy Gibbons,
violin virtuoso Lili Haydn, Ben Stewart's Hierosonic, and the social comedy
of Rick Overton (MC) and Lee Camp.
The Zeitgeist Media Festival runs from 2:00pm to 10:00pm and is an all ages
event. In addition to $40.00 per ticket, attendees must also contribute a
small canned/sealed food donation to gain entrance. The Music Box is
located at 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. For more
information on the venue, please call 323-464-0808 or visithttp://www.themusicbox.la. For online tickets, please visithttp://www.etix.com/ticket/online/ve...?venue_id=8104.
This is a Non-Profit/At Cost Event, where the ticket price reflects the
expenditure of the event itself. For additional information on the
Zeitgeist Media Festival, please see http://zeitgeistmediafestival.org.

ZMF is a global, multimedia event working to utilize the Arts as an avenue
to create sustainable values in the pursuit of a better world. The event
features a magical 3,000 square foot rooftop “living garden”
environment, which will house fine art, video projections, and more music
with the help of LA's Dream Circus Theatre. Notable artists with work in
the rooftop garden include Banksy and Mear One. Interpretative live painter
Norton Wisdom will also perform in the rooftop garden. ZMF will also host a
regional food drive, in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food
Bank, to provide relief to the growing number of people struggling with
poverty in LA County. A list of recommended goods can be found here.
Several nonprofits will also be on hand at the Los Angeles event with
information booths on-site.

From Canada to London to Israel, ZMF expects over 70 parallel events. In
addition to socially conscious art, the global event encourages
participants in other regions to also conduct similar, local,
resource-based drives for those in need in their respective regions. The
global events are being updated on the ZMF website as they are finalized. A
short list can be found near the bottom of this page. If you wish to follow
the global events’ progress on Facebook, please see:http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ze...94115850637429.
The Facebook page for the ZMF LA event is at:https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=229754137068117.

Peter Joseph, the creator of the Zeitgeist Film Series and founder of the
“Zeitgeist Movement” who helms the festival, explains, "Since
antiquity, the Arts have been a powerful catalyst in the development of the
‘zeitgeist’ of the time. From the awe-inspiring aesthetics of religious
art and music throughout the ages to the Renaissance and the dawn of the
Age of Reason, the Arts have given way to powerful awareness, often opening
the doors for social and cultural evolution. The Arts have continually
challenged common beliefs in order to initiate progress. It is no wonder
that many of the greatest thinkers and scientists in history have given
tremendous credence to its power and utility.”

Participating ZMF LA Nonprofit Organization (NPO) Partners:

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank –
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is a nonprofit charitable organization that
has been serving the disadvantaged in the Los Angeles community since 1973.
To fulfill the organization’s mission, the Food Bank sources and acquires
food and other products to distribute to needy people through charitable
agencies or directly through programs. The Food Bank energizes the
community to get involved and support hunger relief. The organization
conducts hunger education and awareness campaigns. And it also advocates
for public policies that alleviate hunger. The goal is for no one to go
hungry in Los Angeles County. The Food Bank is at the heart of a charitable
food distribution network that includes over 1,000 charitable agency sites
throughout Los Angeles County. The organization partners with Feeding
America, the nation's largest non-governmental, domestic hunger relief
organization. As part of this partnership, the Food Bank follows the
guidelines put forth by the network and is subject to monitoring.http://www.lafoodbank.com

Inside Out Community Arts –
Through visual arts, performing arts, and media workshops, Inside Out
Community Arts promotes healthy interaction among diverse at-risk and
underserved Los Angeles middle school and high school youth. Led by both
specially trained teams of professional artists and high school age
mentors, Inside Out bridges cultural, geographic, socioeconomic, and
differently-abled boundaries to support youth in creating and presenting
topical theater, art, and media. The organization’s goal is to empower
youth with the tools, confidence, and inspiration to make a positive
difference in their communities and the world ... “from the inside out."http://www.insideoutca.org

KPFK 90.7 FM –
KPFK 90.7 FM is a member station of the Pacifica Foundation, which consists
of five radio stations, over 100 affiliate stations, and the Pacifica Radio
Archives, responsible for preserving the voices of artists, activists and
progressive journalists since 1949, when the foundation was established by
peace activist Lew Hill. To further peace through broadcasting activities,
Hill determined that radio sponsored by individual listeners would be the
best way to ensure editorial freedom. http://www.kpfk.org

NextAid –
NextAid is a Los Angeles-based humanitarian organization that harnesses the
power of music to support sustainable development projects that serve
vulnerable children, youth and women in Africa. Through music events and
public education initiatives, NextAid provides empowering opportunities for
concerned individuals to make a difference. NextAid’s current initiatives
benefit youth in Nairobi, Kenya, specifically the Kawangware Vision Centre
(KVC). KVC is a project based in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, Kenya, run
by a community-based youth group, which makes silk-screened gift bags out
of recycled paper to sell to local businesses. Recognizing the
organization’s potential to make a bigger impact, NextAid has partnered
with KVC to build a new "green" workshop and multipurpose facility in order
to expand KVC's operation and serve more youth. On August 12th,
International Youth Day, NextAid’s Bids Build Hope Online Auction kicked
off featuring over 50 unique items to raise funds for KVC.http://www.nextaid.org

Venice Arts –
Venice Arts' mission is to ignite youths’ imagination, mentor their
creativity, and expand their sense of possibility through high quality,
accessible media–based arts education programs. Venice Arts also serves
as a catalyst for people of all ages, living in low–income or
underrepresented communities, to create and share personal and community
stories through photography, film, and multimedia.http://www.venice-arts.org

Additional NPO participants to be confirmed.

Performer Bios:

Rick Overton –
Rick Overton is the son of two musicians -- his father was Thelonious
Monk's arranger and a teacher at Julliard, and his mother was in the pop
quartet The Chordettes, the girl group famous for the singles "Lollipop"
and "Mr. Sandman." So, of course, he had no choice but to go into comedy.
He has been in over 100 films and countless TV shows (most recently in Bad
Teacher with Cameron Diaz), but still has time to do his own brand of
comedy that combines quick routines with deeper questions, theories, and
"quantumplations" about how we all wound up here. He has an Emmy Award for
his writing and just returned from a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival. In his over 40 years of getting laughs, he's been a rabble
rousing alternative comic since long before being socially aware was an
"alternative." Comics have always led the way in pointing out naked
emperors, never more so than in these last few years. He is a Patriot with
a true love for the global experiment of America and its founders, as well
as a Matriot with a strong love for planet Earth. He loves Human Kind for,
among other things, paying his bills. Though he is not as fond of Human
Unkind, who are screwing everything up. According to Overton, “We're
stuck in a brightly lit Dark Age these days with only one smart door to
choose in this game show -- a Renaissance beats a Dark Age every time.”
The answer, according to Overton, is in good alpha role models -- bold
souls to defend us from encroaching malice.

Lee Camp –
Lee Camp is a stand-up comic, actor, activist, and writer. He provided a
catharsis for millions of people when he went live on Fox News and called
the network a "parade of propaganda and a festival of ignorance." He's a
contributor to The Onion and has performed stand-up comedy at events
featuring Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore. He was recently on
Showtime's series The Green Room with Paul Provenza with Roseanne and Bob
Saget. Called one of the best new faces at the Montreal Comedy Festival, he
ran for president on Comedy Central's Fresh Debate '08 and he has performed
comedic commentary on PBS, E! Network, SpikeTV, MTV, and ABC's Good Morning
America. He is also featured in the bestseller Satiristas! with the likes
of George Carlin, Bill Maher, and Stephen Colbert. He is also popular on
the college circuit -- hundreds of schools across the country have raved
about Camp’s unique and fast-paced comedy. He is a regular contributor to
New Dissident Radio and The Jeff Santos Show on Revolution Boston Radio and
bears a tattoo on his left forearm, a quote from Howard Zinn, which says,
“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can quietly become a
power no government can suppress, a power that can transform the world.”

Natacha Atlas –
Anglo-Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas has spent more than a decade fusing
electronic beats with North African and Arabic music, finding links between
seemingly disparate musical genres, exploring new and different sonic
settings, and working with a wealth of like-minded collaborators from
across the world along the way. Her music has been influenced by many
styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass, R&B, Hindi pop, French
chanson, and reggae. Atlas began her career as part of the world fusion
group Transglobal Underground. In 1995, she began to focus on her solo
career with the release of Diaspora. She has since released seven solo
albums and been a part of numerous collaborations. Atlas’ list of
collaborators include artists as varied as singers Sinead O’Connor and
Sarah Brightman, the avant-garde classical composer Jocelyn Pook, British
Asian visionary Nitin Sawhney, and the multi-instrumentalist and musical
director of Ana Hina, Harvey Brough. Her version of "Mon Amie La Rose"
became a surprise success in France, reaching 16 on the French Singles
Charts in 1999. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations
Conference Against Racism.

El Willy & The Wolves –
El Willy, aka El Willy & The Wolves, is an art derivative drawn from Elwood
Francis and Billy F. Gibbons and their infamous alliance within the New
City and Williamsburg community of experimental soundscapists. The communal
exchange between the long-standing association of Francis and Gibbons
extends into signal and audio bending within a contemporary backbeat driven
framework without the exclusion of blues based art forms. To the contrary,
the unusual combination is a blend of elements ranging from solid twelve
and sixteen bar patterns toward modern surrealist interpretations. An
antagonists’ design termed by observers as “Redneck Tech.”

Lili Hadyn –
Before launching her solo career, Lili Haydn established herself as one of
the most sought after violinists in Los Angeles playing with the LA
Philharmonic, Porno for Pyros, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Hootie & the
Blowfish, Victoria Williams, Tom Petty, Robert Plant, and Jimmy Page. In
1994, she formed her own band and started a two-year stint at the Viper
Room in West Hollywood. By 1997, she had a record contract with Atlantic
and released her debut album, Lili. Since that time, she went on to record
three additional, critically acclaimed, major label recordings as a solo
artist. Her last CD, Place Between Places, was a favorite on NPR, and Hadyn
performed the single "Strawberry Street" on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno
and HBO’s Californication. A humanitarian and activist, she performs
regularly for various human rights organizations. In addition to the
previously mentioned artists, she has also played with Brandy, Tony! Toni!
Tone!, and No Doubt. George Clinton calls her "the Jimi Hendrix of the
violin."

Dream Circus Theatre –
Dream Circus Theatre (DCT) was involved in the local underground scene in
the mid 1990s, the first in the Los Angeles area to merge theatrical
performances such as fire dancers, aerialists, performance artists, and art
installations in a DJ dance party environment. DCT is known for their
innovative series of event/parties called "I AM" – costume, themed
parties, which fuse all the elements mentioned above. DCT has
self-produced, created and written over 100 original events and shows. They
have worked with numerous organizations and artists over the years
including Red Bull, M-Audio, Native Instruments, the Los Angeles Times, LA
Weekly, KCRW, KPFK, KROQ, KLOS, MTV, CNN, FNN, CBS-TV, Rolling Stone
Magazine, Details Magazine, Time Magazine (Asia), Bad Boys television show,
Magic (Las Vegas), Jane's Addiction, Snoop Dog, Lollapalooza LLC, Coachella
Music Festival, Burning Man, Electric Daisy Carnival, Dance with Films,
Qtopia, Vanguard, House of Blues, Lou Malia (former president of Island
Records), and PF Changs.

Hierosonic –
Hierosonic, filmmaker Ben Stewart's hybrid rock project, prides itself on
raw, energetic performances both on stage and in the studio. Originally
conceived in 2002 out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the band's career has
spanned over 9 years and several hundred performances, solidifying the band
as a staple within the realm of underground rock music. Keeping it fresh,
the band redefines its rock music heritage with the musical language of
industrial and hip hop. With a healthy dose of thought-provoking lyrics,
dirty bass lines, and pop hooks, Hierosonic strives for new sounds with a
unique familiarity. The band is widely known for performances with A-list
acts such as A Perfect Circle, Incubus, Jane's Addiction, 30 Seconds to
Mars, Audioslave, Filter, Sick Puppies, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, The Used,
Cold, Lacuna Coil, and Halestorm.

Peter Joseph –
Peter Joseph, born in North Carolina to a mailman father and a social
worker mother, began his creative interests with music at a young age. He
moved to New York to attend a conservatory, only to drop out after an
inability to afford the tuition. As the creator of the world famous,
award-winning Zeitgeist Film Series and founder of the controversial
“Zeitgeist Movement,” which seeks to shift our social system into a
more sustainable paradigm, Joseph continues to focus on media-related
expressions, including music composition, performance, and film production,
each with a focus on affecting society for the better. He has lectured
around the world on the topics of social sustainably and has been featured
in the New York Times, Russia Today, TedX, and many other outlets.

Norton Wisdom –
Since 1979, interpretive performance painter Norton Wisdom has worked with
numerous musical ensembles, spontaneously painting images that capture the
essence of the moment. He regularly performs live with bands/musicians
onstage, creating art inspired by the music. Working on an illuminated
Mylar surface, his imagery emerges, evolves and dissolves throughout the
performance. He has worked with members of Jane's Addiction, The Rolling
Stones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck, the Grateful Dead, George Clinton,
David Navarro, LTJ Bukem, Lili Haydn, Ivan Neville, and DJ Nobody. He is
also deeply connected to the LA improv jazz scene, and specifically to
guitarist Nels Cline. He contributed his creative efforts to the Winter
Olympics 2002 (Salt Lake), the opening of the Bellagio Hotel (Las Vegas),
and premiere of Cirque Du Soleil (Las Vegas). Museum and festival projects
include Coachella, UC Santa Barbara Art Museum, Laguna Art Museum, Skirball
Museum, Orange County Art Museum, San Diego Museum, WOMAD World of Music,
Arts and Dance Festival, Milwaukee Museum Art, and others.

Charles Fleischer –
Comedian Charles Fleischer is best known as the voices of Roger Rabbit,
Benny The Cab, Psycho, and Greasy in Disney and Amblin Entertainment's film
Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Fleischer's other voice roles include work on The
Polar Express and We're Back! A Dinosaur Story. On-screen roles include
Back to the Future Part II and Gridlock'd. Roles on television include a
recurring role on the 1970s hit series Welcome Back, Kotter as Carvelli,
and as Chuck on the hit series Laverne & Shirley. Fleischer's stand-up
routines are known for an intelligent but unusual take on obscure topics. A
musician and songwriter as well, he has performed as a guest with the group
Blues Traveler. Fleishcher writes for film and television plus continues to
do stand-up. He also hosts his own weekly web show, Fleischer's Universe.

Garret John LoPorto –
College dropout turned sonic drug dealer, best-selling author, YouTube
sensation, rabble-rouser, troublemaker, and champion for free-thinkers
everywhere, LoPorto is raising an army of the world's misfits, mavericks,
visionaries and pioneers - dubbed "Wayseers" - to help bring greater
alignment with the mysterious source of genius known as "the Way." He uses
music, video, books, and social media to call this legion of Wayseers to
turn on to what they are, tune in to the Way, and drop out of unhelpful
institutions, blazing a trail for what the world really needs. He has been
written about in The New York Times, Money Magazine, The London Financial
Times, and The Boston Globe, and many other national newspapers. LoPorto
and his projects have been featured on national television, including CNN
and ABC.

The Lions –
Many of The Lions met through the LA rare groove outfit Breakestra and have
collaborated on various projects throughout the past 10 years. The LA dub
reggae collective came together as the result of an impromptu recording
session, which included members of not only Breakestra, but also Connie
Price and the Keystones, Rhythm Roots All-Stars, Orgone, Sound Directions,
Plant Life, Poetics, and Macy Gray (to name a few). Their live show is a
healthy mix of vocal and dub tracks, balancing classic reggae, soul cuts,
and new originals, while incorporating the sounds of Ethiopia, Colombia,
and Africa. The Lions have performed at Sierra Nevada World Music Festival,
Sunset Junction, El Rey Theatre, The Roxy, Belly Up, Slims, and The
Echoplex. They have supported the likes of Antibalas, Fat Freddy’s Drop,
The Aggrolites, Bedouin Soundclash, and Ooklah the Moc. They were also the
backing band on two occasions for reggae legends The Heptones. LA radio
stations KCRW, KPFK, and KXLU all support the group.

Master-Zero –
Born from the ethers of the universe, Master-Zero is an inter-dimensional
being who views the world as we live in it. A master of zero is a void,
nothing. In that emptiness, there is a place to be open to everything.
Master-Zero is a question of what is or isn't, right or wrong, good or bad.
A voyeur of the human condition, Master-Zero embraces music as the portal
into reality, the key to unlock the door of this dimension. Singing about
what is present in the world of now with electronic beats that pulsate
rhythm and subsonic bass, Master-Zero gravitates to the electric guitar to
awaken the sirens. Human theatrics play a part in the story through
movement of dance and expression. Artful scenic designs, along with visual
images projected as moving light, create the backdrop to set up a
voyeuristic live drama where the story remains the question and in that
question is the story.

The Lost Children of Babylon –
The Lost Children of Babylon (LCOB), aka "The Protectors of Spiritual Hip
Hop,” are a Philadelphia-based conscious hip hop group founded by Rasul
Allahu in the mid-1990s. The group is known for their conscious and
spiritual style with lyrics influenced by Nuwaubian philosophy, Islam, and
The Nation of Gods & Earths. They first appeared in 1996 on Jedi Mind
Tricks’ Amber Probe EP. Combining underground hip hop with esoteric
ideologies and political zeal, LCOB has released four albums. The first
three were released through Babygrande Records -- The Equidivium: Where
Light Was Created, Words From the Duat: The Book of Anubis, and The 911
Report: The Ulitmate Conspiracy. The latest album, Zeitgeist: The Spirit of
the Age, was released by Chamber Musik/LCOB Productions in 2010. They are
also affiliated with Killah Priest, Black Market Militia, The Maccabeez,
Wu-Tang Killa Beez, and the Sunz of Man.

Heather Donavon –
Hailing from Atlanta, GA, and raised in Dallas, TX, Heather Donavon is a
performing songwriter, studio/session singer, and voice over artist. She
has opened for Keb' Mo', Fiona Apple, and Tori Amos. Her voice has been
heard in national TV and radio commercials for brands like Toys R' Us, Coke
Zero (Super Bowl), TJ Maxx, MTV, and Hyundai Elantra. She has independently
released two albums on iTunes. Her first album, Mosaic, is a compilation of
soulful jazz and Spanish classics along with intimate interpretations of
her favorite songwriters’ material. Donavon’s second album of piano pop
driven melodies, Sense of Me, was co-written with Jonathan Hayes and Bonnie
Hayes. The title track, "Sense of Me," was awarded "Song of the Year" from
the West Coast Songwriter's International Song Competition and "Honorable
Mention" from The Billboard Songwriting Competition. She has performed at
the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX, at Ground Zero in New York City,
alongside the San Francisco Glide Ensemble Gospel Choir, and at Agape
Church in Los Angeles, CA.

Visual Artist Bios:
Banksy –
Banksy, an internationally known graffiti artist, activist, director, and
painter based in England, creates satirical street art and subversive
epigrams that combine irreverent dark humor with graffiti using a
distinctive stenciling technique. His work gives a voice to the voiceless
living in urban environments. Bansky’s work was born out of the Bristol
underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and
musicians. His first film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, billed as "the
world's first street art disaster movie," made its debut at the 2010
Sundance Film Festival. In January 2011, he was nominated for an Academy
Award for Best Documentary for the film. Banksy has also self-published
several books that contain photos of his work in various countries as well
as some of his canvas work and exhibitions, accompanied by his own
writings.

Mear One –
Mear One, born in Santa Cruz, California, is a Los Angeles-based artist
known for his often-political street graffiti art. He sees himself as a
messenger and spiritual warrior using his imagination as a communication
device. He is commonly associated with the CBS (Can't Be Stopped - City
Bomb Squad) and WCA (West Coast Artist) crews. As a graphic designer, Mear
One designed apparel for Conart, Kaotic, and his own Reform brand. He has
done album covers for artists like Limp Bizkit and joined artists Shepard
Fairey and Robbie Conal to create a series of anti-war, anti-Bush posters.
A well-known street artist and prolific graffiti writer for over 20 years,
his partners have included Skate One, Az Rock, Tren, Item, Anger, Yem, and
Cisco.

So, how do you guys watch anime? Wait till it's available in the U.S., crunchyroll or what? I mean animesuki.com is a warez site after all.

I don't really watch much anime anymore, to be honest. Most of the new series just don't interest me. Almost everything I download is Android ROMs, Linux ISOs, various bits and pieces of open-source software... and Touhou remixes.

I know there's a lot of sentiment and hopes that were tied to Serena Williams at the US Open this year due to the 10-year memorial of 9/11, but for the love of...what a super bitch! The way she carried on during that final was a disgrace. Threatening the umpire, refusing to shake the umpire's hand, her family refusing to acknowledge the winner. What a disgrace.

Sam Stosur - what a great performance. First Aussie women's Grand Slam winner since 1980 and first Aussie to win a Grand Slam in about a decade. You did us Aussies proud. Been a long journey for you but you finally did it. Well done!

Yes, the timing was a factor. Serena got outplayed but she took it with no dignity or class. Not the first time, but this was just not on. You'd think someone who was won as many Grand Slams as she has could accept other people beating her. I lost any respect I ever had for her today. The least you could have done was accept the fact you were outplayed on the day and not be so disrespectful.

This Zeitgiest media festival is great! Some technical problems and lots of improvisation but the comedy and musicians are very talented. The bands seem to be composed mostly of experimental music and the comedy and commentaries are about politics, society and science.

Oh yeah and if you don't like to hear a lot of "bad" words then I suggest you stay away from it.

I would say they finally found a cleric with a brain. The quickest way to get the Americans to leave is for them to not have a reason to stay. Since the American goal is a safe Iraq...blowing stuff up and killing people are the wrong things to do, since that makes Iraq not safe in the Americans eyes...thus they need troops to make it safe.

Do nothing, and the Americans will leave. Assuming they don't feel they need the troops there to counter Iran (see American troops in Japan).

The cleric in question is Moqtada al-Sadr, he's been around for quite a while.

He's generally done pretty well for himself and his faction in the years since the Iraq war. You'll recall that his Mahdi Army had control over Basra until the battle of Basra in 2008. The Mahdis were pushed out there, but it wasn't a conclusive battle.

Marathon, Greece (Sept 11, Sun): Sweating beneath heavy armour, a group of die-hard archaeology fans brought the Battle of Marathon to life this weekend on the coastal plain where the fate of Europe changed dramatically 2,500 years ago.

Gathering from Europe, North America and Australia, the re-enactors staged a three-day event of combat, archaic-culture revival and commemoration at Marathon Bay never before seen in Greece, despite its rich archaeological heritage.

For many of the participants, it was also a personal pilgrimage after long years of arduous preparation and unfulfilled hope.

"It's a dream come true after 10 years," said Mr Hywel Jones, a printer from Wales who came to Marathon with his wife, Stephanie, to fight as a Greek hoplite, the heavily armed infantry soldier of ancient Greece.

Most of the re-enactors had spent thousands of euros to travel to this small town 40km (25 miles) north-east of Athens, better known for lending its name to the world's premier long-distance running event.

The hobbyists brought with them family members as well as hand-made armour and kit crafted over the years at great personal cost.

The re-enactors initially had to persuade their hosts in Greece that this was the correct moment to commemorate the 2,500-year anniversary of the 490 BC battle in the bay of Marathon.

"Originally, everybody thought it was last year, and of course it wasn't, as there's no year 'zero'," noted Mr Andy Cropper, a university lecturer from England's Sheffield region.

The organisers had initially hoped for a turnout of 200 but had to settle for 50 battle-ready Greek hoplites and a handful of Persian archers. The municipality of Marathon provided logistical support and allowed the group to hold a memorial ceremony to honour the Greek and Persian fallen at the battle's victory monument.

"I think the town would like us to come back every year," said Mr Christian Cameron, a Canadian novelist and former United States navy officer who headed preparations for the event. However, the cost to the participants makes an immediate re-run unlikely.

One of history's most famous military engagements, the Battle of Marathon is also one of the first to be recorded by chroniclers. The battle galvanised the warring Greek city-states and demonstrated that the Persian Empire, the superpower of the age, could be defeated.

"People argue that it is the battle where the Greeks saved Western civilisation. People can equally argue that it was the moment at which a great civilisation, the Persian civilisation, lost control of the West," Mr Cameron said.

I must say I'm surprised that Sept 11 memorials got virtually no mention in AnimeSuki. Am I missing something, or do people in general not care any more about the event, 10 years on?

Though I can't speak for everyone, especially no Americans, I myself am quite tired of needing to be reminded of "The Day the World Changed". It happened 10 years ago, do we really need to hear about it each and every year?

I must say I'm surprised that Sept 11 memorials got virtually no mention in AnimeSuki. Am I missing something, or do people in general not care any more about the event, 10 years on?

There's not much to say. For many Americans, it's less of a punctuation in history and more of a continual thing. What I think many of us feel, looking back on the last ten years, is a sense that things never got any better after that date. Politicians may crow about how "we're safer now with all these actions we've taken", and historians/pundits may spin it as a moment of American "unity", but the toll it took on the country was more than those on that day.

I think beyond the remembrance of the day, there's an emotional turmoil about why the country hasn't healed and moved forward. We could quibble about the reasons, or who to blame, but I don't think you'll find too many people who could rationally argue the country became stronger or better in the face of that adversity. In fact, you're more likely to find people who would argue that things have only gotten worse.

What he really meant : Stop attacking US troops so they would leave, then we could attack the puppet government they installed without their interference! Me akbar (Me is great)!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. DJ

10 years and billions-trillions later...

The VJ and VE day are still being remembered (the Yanks sent a contigent of Marines to Orussia's parade this year), so why not?

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When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.